Oscillating washing machine



July 2l 1925.` 1,546,751

W. L. RODGERS OSCILLATING WASHING MACHINE Filed 9ct, 7, 1922 2Sheets-Sheet l y ETOFl Anch-Nus 'BYk WlTNESSESS July 21 1925. 1546.751

W. L. RODGERS OSCILLATNG WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. '7, 1922 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Fai. 4.

ffllwff' E ENVENTOR @.4- @www a j@ fr ihk MW?" MQ/@fw ATTORN 9'5Patented July 21, 1925.

WILLIAM L. Rousses, or riarsisuaemrnnnsrrvmvm. f.

OSCILLATING XVASHING MACHINE,

""i Application sied. october 7, 192e. sei-iai no. 593,019.

i To a/ZZ whom t may concern! `Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. Roosen-s,a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Oscillating Washing Machines, of which thefollowing is a specication.'

i `This invention relates to washing machines and particularly to animproved driving gearing and locking means for the oscillating tub usedin connection therewith.

The object of the invention is to provide a gearing and locking meansadapted for this purpose which is simple and compact in its arrangement,which is entirely mounted in the gear housing or casing, such housing orcasing being preferably formed as a unit `which may bereadily attachedto or removed `from the frame of the machine.

`Itis also anvobject of the invention to provide a gearing which may bemounted inaunitary housing and as a unit upon a single side member ofthe frame so as to `position all of the driving mechanism and actuatingdevices to be used in connection with the machine in one convenientlocation.

In washing' machines of the oscillating tub type, great diliiculty hasbeen experienced due to the easy and unexpected tilting of the` tubwhile the same is disconnected from its driving gearing. This difficultyis particularly objectionable during the fillingof the tub with hotwater, and also when the clothes whichhave been washed are removed fromthe tub and passed through the wringer located above. Unexpected tiltingof the tub during the filling or emptying thereof frequently causessplashing or the spilling of hot water upon the operative;

It is a special object of the invention to provide a driving gearing foroscillating tubs of washing machines. having means for positivelylocking the `tub against rocking movement when disconnected from itsdriving gearing, and in which a single moving element of the gearingwill function toselectively oscillate the" tub; or lock it againstoscillation, and when in itslocked condition toretain the tub withitsopening in an up-` right `position to facilitatesafe and rapidfilling with water,"or.\removing the clothes which are then locatedabove..` 1' i i `"llliese and other 1"objects of the invention passedthrough the wringen will more readily appear when taken in connectionwith the following description and the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. l is a side elevation of a washingmachine equipped with the invention, illustrating the `posit-ion of theoscillating tub while in locked condition;` Fig. 2 an enlarged detailview, with parts broken away, of the gear housing removed from theframe; Fig. 3 a fragmentary detail sectional view taken on the lineIII-fill of Fig. 2, illustrating the position which the parts assumeduring the oscillation of the tub; and Fig. l a fragmentary detail viewshowing the positions which the parts assume for locking `the tubagainst oscillation.

The supporting frame of the machine comprises side frame members l, 2.and the end members 3 and 4, the several members of the frame beingrigidly secured `to each other by means of rivets indicated at 5. All ofthe frame members are "preferably constructed of sheet metal and, for`conveniently supporting the several parts and at the Sametime affordingaccess thereto, are shaped, as `clearly shown in the drawings, the sidemember 2 being provided with a recess at 6 adjacent the lower portionthereof for the purpose of permitting ready access to the driving motorand the connect-ions between the same and the gearing proper. Spanningthe space between the end frame members .3 and t is a transverse bar 7which, together with an angle bracket 8 and a suitable base orplatform,serveto support the driving motor 9. Preferably the' motor employed isan electric motor, but it is obvious `that any type of motor suitablefor the purpose may be employed, the armature shaft of the motor beingconnected through well known flexible couplings or equivalent deviceswith ,the inner extremity of the main driving shaft 10.

Removably attached to the exterior of the side frame memberv l is a gearhousing or casing designated as a whole by the reference numeral llwhich housing encloses all of the parts comprising the gearing andserves as a means in which to journal the several parts thereof, theentire housing with its contained gearing being removable from the sideframe member and machine as a unit, thehousing being attached toi theframe Aby means of suitable bolts tting into bosses` formed uponf the`housing as clearlyindicated in the drawings. The outer open side of thehousing 11 is provided With a cover plate 12 on Which a bearing boss 13is forni-ed in alignment with the outer extremity of the shaft 10, andin which the extremity of the shaft is journalled. The shaft isoperatively connected through any suitable gearing adapted toreciprocate'the connecting rod 14 Which is operatively connected to thecrank arm 15 by means of the pin 1V The crank arm 15 is loosely inointedupon a rock shaft 4lb journalled in a bearing boss 1T formed upon thebottom of the housing 11 and a specially formed bearing bushing 18suitably attached to the cover plate 1Q, the inner extren'iity of therock shaft having lived thereto the trunnion block supporting arm lt)which is in the form of a crank arm provided with a longitudinal slotextending substantially the full length thereof and a stop lug 2t)adjacent' its extreme end. The slot of the trunuion supporting arm isadapted to receive a suitably shaped trunnion block 21 projecting fromthe spider attached to one side of the oscillating tub L3, the block 21merely projecting vvithin the slot of the member 19 and resting upon thestop lug 2O so as to render the saine readily removable therefrom uponbodily lifting the tub from the frame in an obvious manner. rl'he tub Q3corresponds in general construction to those in common use, beingprovided with a tilling opening at its upper portion The l'fearing boss1T projects through an opening Q5 formed in the side franie member l,the said opening being of such dimensions as to permit the ready removalof the trunion block supporting arm 19 therethrough.

The bearing bushing 13 is cup-shaified with its reduced outercylindrical po 'tion projecting through an opening 26 formed in thecover plate l2, the enlarged inner portion of the bushing being securedto the cover plate in any desi )le manner as by riveting'. The innerface of the bushing` is provided with recesses 27, 27 which are disposedat opposite sides of the rock shaft When the parts are in assembledrelation, the rock shaft being journalled in the bushing 13, as abovedescribed, by projecting the outer'cylindrical portion 28 of the vshaftWithin the axial bore of the recuced cylindrical portion of the bushing,a space Q9 being left betiveen the outer end of the rock shaftand thebottom of the bore for the purpose of holding a lubricant which may befed thereto through the aperture 3f. The intermediate portion 31 of therock shaft 1G between its inner extremity upon which the crank arm 13 ismounted and its outer cylindrical portion 23 is non-circular in crosssection. Mounted for free sliding movement upon the non-circularintermediate portionof the sha-ft but rotatable therewith is a clutchcollar 32 provided with the peripheral groove and lugs 34, 3-1, and 35,35 formed respectively upon the opposite faces thereof. The lugs 34, 3ftare adapted to project into suitably formed recesses 33, 3o", intheadjacent faces of the crank arm i5, vvhile the lugs 35 are adapted to bereceived by the recesses 2T, 2T formed in the Hearing bushing 18.

The clutch collar 32 is adapted to be shifted longitudinally along thenon-circular portion 31 of the rock shaft by suitable clutch shiftinglmechanism, this mechanism comprising an actuatinghandle 3i' fixed to theouter extremity of a rotatable shaft 33 journalled in the side of thehousing l1, a crank arm being formeel at the inner extremity of theshaft 3S an( provided vfith a linger Ll-O which projects into theperipheral slot 33 of the clutc i collar. ln order to retain the clutchshifting inechanisivi in a position to either hold thel lugs of theclutch collar in engagement or out of engagement with the recessesformed in the trank arm and bearing bushing, a spring pressed pin l-ladapted to scat in suitable depressions in a plate is employed.

lvlounted upon the side frame member 1 at one side of 'the gear housing.11 so as to be within easy reach of the operator in actuating` eitherthe clutch handle 3T or the controlling elements of the vvringermechanism (not shown) is a switch t3 for starting and stopping theelectric motor 9.

The operation of the device is as follows: rThe shaft lll is driven b vthe motor t) and transmits power thmugh suitable operative connections.a. above described, causing rcciprocation of the connecting rod let, andin turn rocking the crank arm 15 about the rock shaft l' a.` an axis. lfthe clutch collar 32 is in a neutral position in which neither sets oflugs arein engagement with their respective recesses forn'ied iuthecrank arm 15 or the bearing bushing 18, no povver vvill be transmittedto the rock sl aft which may be freely oscillated together .viththe tubif so desired. 1Whenever the clutch collar 39, .is moved to the positionshown in Fig. 3, with the lugs 35, 35 in engagement with the recesses3G, I't, rocking moven'ient of the crank arm 15 will be comn'iuuicatcoto the rock shaft 1G, consequently causing oscillation of the tub 23 inan obvious manner. lll'hcnever it is desirable to lock the tub 23against oscillating movement, the clutch collar 3Q is shifted to itsextreme outer position, illustrated in Fig. et, at which time the lugs35, engage the recesses 27, 27 in the bearing bushing 18, positivelypreventing oscillation of the rock shaft 13 and the trb 23. The lugsformed upon the clutch collar and the recesses with which the lugsengage are so positionedtliat when the parts are moved into the lockedcondition, justffdescribed, the filling opening at the top of the tubwill be in its uppermost position.

The trunnion receiving crank arm 19 is attached to the rock shaft 16 soas to normally project downwardly, and is urged to its vertical positionunder the influence of gravity due to its own weight. This d ispositionof the crank arm 19 together'with the peculiar construction thereof forreceiving the trunnion block 21, permits the ready removal of the tub 23by merely lifting the same vertically upwardly. Due to the fact that theopening 25 in the side frame member 1 is of such dimension as to permitthe crank arm 19 to be easily withdrawn therethrough, in conjunctionwith the removable mounting of the gear housing 1l upon thev side framemember, enables the gear housing with its contained gearing to be easilydetached from the machine, after the tub 23 has been removed in themanner described, for purposes of replacement or repair.'

It is thus seen that the invention provides a driving gearing forwashing machines of the oscillating` type which is simple inconstruction, compact, durable, economical to manufacture and repair,all parts of which are readily accessible, one which may be easilyattached to and removed from the machine as a unit, and which willpositively and effectively function to set the tub in oscillation orretain the same in locked condition with its filling opening` inuppermost position.

Although the preferred embodiment of the invention has been particularlyillustrated and described as required by the patent statutes, it isobvious that many changes in details of construction in the severalparts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention,and is therefore not intended to limit the invention beyond thatparticularly pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

I claim: i

1. A gearing for oscillating washing machines comprising a housing, acover plate for said housing, a. separately formed bearing bushing fixedto the cover plate provided with recesses in its inner face, a rockshaft supported in the housing having one end journalled in saidbushing, a crank arm loosely mounted on said shaft, said shaft `beingnon-circular in cross section throughout its intermediate portion withinthe interior of the housing, the said crank arm having recesses upon itsinner face, a clutch collar shiftable upon the non-circular portion ofthe shaft butrotatable therewith, lugs on the opposite faces of theclutch collar for selectively engaging the recesses in either the crankarm or the bushing, and means for shifting the said collar.

2. A gearing for oscillating washing machines comprising a housing, acover plate for said housing having an opening extending therethroughand a depressionon its inner face surrounding the said opening, aseparately formed bearing bushing equipped with enlarged and reducedportions xed to the cover plate and provided with recesses in `its innerface, the said enlarged portion being positioned within the saiddepression and the reduced portion extending through the said opening, arock shaft supported in the housing having one end journalled in saidbushing, a crank arm loosely mounted on said shaft, said shaft beingpolygonal in cross section throughout its intermediate portion withinthe interior of the housing, the said crank arm having recesses upon itsinner face, a clutch collar shiftable upon the polygonal portion of theshaft but rotatable therewith, lugs on the faces of the clutch collarfor selectively engaging the recesses in either the crank arm or thebushing, and means for shifting the said collar.

3. In combination in an oscillating washing machine, a supporting frame,a housing attached to said frame equipped with a cover plate, aseparately formed bushing fixed to the cover plate provided withrecesses in its inner face, a rock shaft supported in the housing havingone end journalled in said bushing, an oscillating tub fixed to theopposite end of the rock shaft, said tub having a filling opening at itstop, driving means for oscillating said rock shaft including a crank armhaving recesses on its face journalled on the rock shaft, said shaftbeing non-circular in cross section throughout its intermediate portion,a clutch collar shift- WILLIAM L. RODGERS.

